Literary Studies

At the heart of Literary Studies and creative writing is the notion of ‘story’ – how we approach the reading of stories and how we begin to write them. While this notion of ‘story’ underpins all Literary Studies courses, at Charles Darwin University, we consider it within the context of our particular geographical setting. Thus, the focus is on North Australian, Indigenous Australian, and Southeast Asian literature across a wide range of genres including novels, memoirs, biographies, blogs, plays, films, and poetry.

The second focus looks at the practice of writing and editing. Practical skills are developed in constructing narrative, creating characters, writing description and dialogue, recording facts, documenting lives, writing for performance, and the specific editing tasks of various genres. The combined streams assist students in developing critical thinking skills and expertise in writing, while broadening understanding of the literature of our region.

Career Opportunities

Graduates in Literary Studies are employed in diverse professions. When you consider the number of jobs requiring skills in critical thinking, writing, and editing, the list is potentially very large and includes the following:

Novelists, poets and other creative writers

Screenwriters working in film and television

Internet writers and designers

Journalists and critics

Editors and publishers

Librarians

School teachers

Arts administrators

Public servants

Political speechwriters

Marketing and PR specialists

Communications specialists

Study Options

You can study Literary Studies units at the undergraduate level as part of the Bachelor of Arts program, which can extend into studying Honours, or as electives within other CDU courses. The units are offered in both internal and external modes. In addition to those listed, you may undertake Independent Studies units, supervised by the course coordinator. At the postgraduate level, you can study a Master by Research or a Doctor of Philosophy, both of which allow you to choose your own research topics in conjunction with a supervisor.

More Information

For general information about applying or registering at CDU, enrolling in units and the different study options please visit the Study at CDU page. For more specific information about studying Literary Studies at CDU please contact: